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The most important aspect of maintaining a properly functioning {{IMSMANG }} system is backing up and restoring data.Regular data backups are essential for maintaining the integrity of the system in case of sytem failure, software errors or accidental data deletion. Not only should information managers mandate that all IMSMA^NG {{IMSMANG}} data is regularly backed up, but more importantly a multitired multitiered backup strategy should be used to eliminate data loss. Consider the following options below when developing a backup strategy for IMSMA^NG{{IMSMANG}}.

*{{IMSMANG}}-specific backups

Moreover, a backup is only as good as the ability if you are able to restore it. As such, any data backup strategy should include plans to test existing backups to ensure that the backups are usable. If it becomes necessary to restore data, regular testing of backups helps ensure that it will be possible to do so.

The table below outlines the recommended schedule for backing up the IMSMANG database and other files. Note that an event-based change to the components necessitates a backup. Event-based changes include events such as: * Before upgrading software* Before importing data* After importing Data Entry Forms* After making SQL changes to the database  Server Client Server and ClientComponent Daily Weekly Weekly Event-based changeIMSMANG database ● ● ●Attachments ● ● ●GIS database ● ● ●Maps ● ● ●Templates ● ● ●Translation ● ●}} ===Backing Up the IMSMA^NG {{IMSMANG}} Database===__NOEDITSECTION__IMSMANG contains several stores of information that can be backed up. By far, the most critical store component to backup is the {{IMSMANG }} database itself because it contains all of the active actual data in {{IMSMANG including }} and published reportstemplates, form templates and geographic data in addition to the typical mine action informationetc. IMSMANG’s {{IMSMANG}}’s Backup capability backs up the {{IMSMANG }} database by executing a MySQL PGSQL database dump command that creates a complete backup of all of the data in the database including any additional tables, views and other customisations. The resulting dump.sql file, which is stored in a time-stamped directory for easy identification, includes the necessary commands to recreate the database with all of the existing data.

{{note| The dump.sql file is stored in text format and can be made smaller for storage or transport using compression tools such as ZIP and RARWinZIP. }}

Information managers can schedule backups using PGSQL Administration tools and build daily or weekly routines that back up the database automatically. These backups work similarly to {{IMSMANG}} Backup; however, any backup made outside of {{IMSMANG}} will have to be restored manually. Even so, regularly scheduled backups are an excellent component of a backup strategy. {{note| In a client-/server environmentconfiguration, backups should be made from the server rather than the clients. Similarly, backups can only be restored on the {{IMSMANG }} server.}}

{{IMSMANG }} stores attachments on the server file system separate from the {{IMSMANG }} database. Because of the total file size of some the attachments, it may not be beneficial or necessary to back up the attachments each time. {{IMSMANG }} Backup provides the option to exclude attachments when performing a backupwhich is '''not''' recommended.

For regular, complete backups, it is highly recommended to include attachments. But, if It is also possible to take an IMSMA backup of the size of database and a backup file is a concern, the attachments can be manually deleted. This is a better alternative to creating a backup without attachments since attachments cannot be added back to of the backup file. Excluding attachments from a backup is an option that should be used with caution.

===Backing Up Other IMSMA^NG Information===__NOEDITSECTION__In addition to the IMSMANG database and attachments stored on the server, IMSMANG Backup allows users to back up certain settings from the IMSMANG client. These include: * GIS database (.mdb file)* map files (.mxd, etc)* Data Entry Form template files* iReport template files* translation .properties files ====GIS Dataabase=Database===__NOEDITSECTION__While {{IMSMANG }} stores all coordinate data in the MySQL PGSQL database that is backed up with the {{IMSMANG }} database, {{IMSMANG }} also stores coordinate data in uses a geodatabase file (IMSMA.mdbgdb) on each client computer , also known as the sandbox, to allow display the data to be displayed on in the mapMap Pane inside {{IMSMANG}}. This file These files should be included with each {{IMSMANG }} backup to shorten the time it takes to launch {{IMSMANG }} after a restore. {{IMSMANG }} automatically builds this file rebuilds the sandbox during system launch of the {{IMSMANG}} if the file sandbox is missing, but it can take several hours to do so. After it is backed up, the sandbox can be transferred manually to other freshly installed clients to shorten the time required to build the geodatabase during system launch.

Because the geodatabase is built on a per-client basis, it is also recommended to launch the client to fully update the geodatabase prior to backing it up. After it is backed up, the geodatabase can be transferred manually to other freshly installed clients to shorten the time required to build the geodatabase during system launch. ====Maps====__NOEDITSECTION__IMSMA^NG {{IMSMANG}} map files can be loaded on a per-client basis and stored in IMSMA^NG {{IMSMANG}} Backup, providing an easy way to share maps between clients. {{noteIn Map Data is also the [[Customise Sub-Themes | IMSMANG Backup backs up only the active map on each clientsub-theme]] assignments included. Other maps previously loaded on a client will need to be copied manually}}

====Data Entry Form Templates and iReport Templates====__NOEDITSECTION__{{IMSMANG }} provides the capability to store copies or of drafts of Data Entry Form templates and iReport templates to the file system during report design. While the published versions of the templates are backed up as part of the {{IMSMANG }} database backup, the files are only included if the option is selected on the {{IMSMANG }} Backup window. Storing these files in the backup is recommended as it makes it easier to resume drafting templates and reports.

====Translations====__NOEDITSECTION__{{IMSMANG }} stores translations of the application in several places. Translations and localisations of data elements are stored in the {{IMSMANG }} database and are backed up with the database backup. The .properties files used to translate the {{IMSMANG }} interface are stored externally to the database, but they can be added to the {{IMSMANG }} Backup as an option. If changes are made to the .properties files, it is recommended to back them up after each change as well as each time a full backup is made.

===Other Backup Considerations===__NOEDITSECTION__While {{IMSMANG }} Backup backs up all of the files used in the typical operation standard configuration of {{IMSMANG}}, there are other customisable files that should also be backed upand/or carefully documented. These include:

* map customisationsclient and server '''settings''' including memory settingsIMSMANG does not automatically back up customisations made to * C:\IMSMAng\server\gis\maps used in IMSMANG. Users can make changes to the \imsma.mxd file, create or modify ESRI style files, add symbology or make many other changes to maps, but these (if customized)* the background map(s) source files are ('''not included in ''' only the IMSMANG Backup and must be separately backed up and managed.mxd file)* base mapslocal projection files (.prj)It is recommended that information managers make backups of maps that are imported into IMSMANG for use on client computers* C:\IMSMAng\migration\conf\migration. While IMSMANG Backup backs up the maps when they have been imported, these base map files are not managed within IMSMANG properties and should be backed up manually to allow for customisation any import scripts* [[Language and later import.Translations#Data language|fallback fonts]] (C:\IMSMAng\java\lib\fonts\fallback)* ODBC configurations* external reporting External tools: External reporting tools and other add-ons are not backed up by {{IMSMANG }} and should be backed up manually. These include any tools using ODBC connections to IMSMANG such as Microsoft Access databases, Microsoft Excel spreadsheets, OpenOffice connections and Crystal Reports. Information information managers should ensure that these external tools get are backed up manually or automatically.

 {{importantWarning| {{IMSMANG }} Restore replaces all data in the {{IMSMANG }} database and may copy over existing files. Prior to restoring the {{IMSMANG }} database, information managers should ensure that all necessary data has been backed up. {{IMSMANG }} Restore operations cannot be undone.}}{{HowTo's| [[Restore IMSMA Backup on Server]]|[[Restore IMSMA Backup on Client]]

 Backups created using {{IMSMANG }} Backup can should be restored using {{IMSMANG }} Restore as well as other MySQL tools if necessary. The IMSMANG Restore function can be used on both clients and servers to restore key information in the event of data loss or other restore needs (for example, after an upgrade). {{IMSMANG }} Restore allows users to determine which components of an {{IMSMANG }} Backup to restore. The components available depend on the options that were selected during backup. Each option behaves slightly differently depending on whether the restore is occurring on a server or a client.

In a client-/server environment, the {{IMSMANG }} database can be restored only on the server machine so as to prevent accidental deletion of data by client users. Conducting an {{IMSMANG }} Restore on the server machine (or a stand-alone machine) restores the {{IMSMANG }} database and the available attachments to the server, replacing any existing data in the {{IMSMANG }} database. When a restore is complete, {{IMSMANG }} closes and must be restarted.  IMSMANG Restore can also restore the GIS database, Data Entry Form templates, iReport templates, map files and translation .properties files; however, these are only necessary when running the client on the server or when running in stand-alone mode. {{note| In a client-server environment, it is recommended to stop the server prior to restoring the database to ensure all clients are disconnected}}

===Restore on the Client===__NOEDITSECTION__Except for instances where the {{note| In a client and the /server are on the same machineenvironment, the IMSMANG database cannot be restored to a client-only machine. However, IMSMANG Restore can be used it is recommended to restore client settings including stop the GIS database, Data Entry Form templates, iReport templates, map files and translation .properties files. This functionality is particularly useful when connecting new clients to a server as this allows information managers prior to prebuild restoring the GIS database and map configurations and simply restore them to the new ensure all clientsare disconnected.{{HowTo's|[[Restore IMSMA Data from a Backup|Restore IMSMA Data from a Backup]]}} On a client machine, IMSMANG Restore acts as a file copying function, copying files included in the backup to the correct location on the client. IMSMANG Restore also attempts to back up any files it is replacing. These backup directories have “_orig” appended to their file names to distinguish them from the new files.  {{important| IMSMANG Restore preserves only one backup of these files. Previous _orig directories are replaced with each IMSMANG Restore so care must be taken to preserve these files, if desired, prior to running IMSMANG Restore}}